A Dancer’s Tale: The Story of Phyllis Spira

Phyllis's mom and dad cuddle their sweet baby girl. Everyone is smiling and happy.

Once upon a time, not so far away, a baby called Phyllis was born for ballet.

Two people in love, her Mom and her Dad, could not have known yet what a dancer they had.

Little Phyllis dances with two other young girls for their strict ballet teacher.

When Phyllis was four she had us transfixed: impressing her teachers with ducky feet flicks.

Before school and after, she danced every day. Nothing pleased Phyllis more than ballet.

Wearing a beautiful yellow dress, a teenage Phyllis twirls around a street sign in London. Big Ben is seen in the background.

The world would soon see, when, only fifteen, she travelled to London to live out her dream.

Far from home and her friends, she was starting afresh. The Royal Ballet school would soon be impressed!

Phyllis dances on points with a handsome male dancer.

When she danced Swan Lake it was fit for the Queen! After years pirouetting, it was time to be seen!

She took to the stage, leaping, twirling about, with everyone smiling! They clap and they shout!

Phyllis carries a suitcase and leaps across Earth. She wears a dress fringed with flags from around the world.

From Mexico to Canada, the US to France, everyone asked her to visit and dance.

With the Royal Ballet, and all of her friends, she spread love for dancing so it never would end.

Phyllis holds a South African flag in her arms. She wears an African-inspired dress and Table Mountain can be seen in the background.

Still, Phyllis missed home, they’d been too long apart. She longed to return and to make a fresh start.

So she leaped and she bounded to her beautiful land, to walk once again on South African sand.

Phyllis dances with a clock as the backdrop.

Dance isn’t just fun, as Phyllis well knew: she worked day and night, and with hard work she grew.

Always smiling and tireless, through good times and tough,she aimed for her best.‘Good’ was never enough.

In a beautiful blue costume, Phyllis dances on stage with a strong male dancer. The audience applauds appreciatively.

Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake and Giselle. She captured each audience under her spell.

With Gary Burne beside her, Eduard Greyling too, her dancing was magic in every review.

With roses at her feet and a ribbon announcing her new title, Phyllis squeezes her hands with gratitude.

Reward comes eventually, when you’re put to the test. And one day South Africa would call her the best:

‘Prima Ballerina Assoluta’, greatest dancer of all, her title forever.

Phyllis wanted no more.

Phyllis gazes lovingly into her new husband's eyes as he swoops her into his arms for their wedding dance.

Soon Phyllis found love when she met Philip Boyd, a dancer himself! They were both overjoyed.

In love, they soon married, and together they’d dance. No match could be better when given the chance!

Phyllis corrects a small girl's arm position during a dance lesson. Two other children practise their steps.

They didn’t have children but never were sad, for they had a way to help all moms and dads.

Their school, Dance For All, would give children a chance, from all walks of life, to learn and love dance.

Phyllis looks out at the reader, while five other ballerinas dance on the page all around her.

Her gift to the world and all her success help others to realise they can be their best.

They dance for us now, inspired by her feats,inspiring us, too, as we dream in our seats.